Germany to host key GAVI Alliance replenishment event

Alliance seeks full funding to immunise hundreds of millions of children

Thomas Silberhorn, Germany Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Co­operation and Development and Seth Berkley, CEO of the GAVI Alliance. Brussels. Credit: GAVI/2014.

Geneva, 23 May 2014 – The GAVI Alliance welcomes the announcement by Thomas Silberhorn, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Co­operation and Development, that Germany will host the replenishment conference concluding the process to secure funding to vaccinate more than 300 million additional children averting an additional five to six million deaths.

The announcement was made in Brussels this week at a high-level meeting where the Alliance presented its plans for the 2016-2020 period. They build on the Alliance’s unprecedented success that has put developing countries on track to immunise close to half a billion additional children between 2000 and 2015, saving approximately six million lives. At the meeting, the European Union pledged an additional €175 million from 2014 to 2020.

“The GAVI Alliance is a very important partner for Germany as it contributes to reducing child mortality,” said Thomas Silberhorn, Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Co­operation and Development. “GAVI links interventions that strengthen health systems, increase equity and achieve sustainable development in the poorest countries. We consider it as an efficient organisation and a valuable investment. Therefore, we are delighted to host its replenishment conference.”

Watch the statement by Thomas Silberhorn, German Parliamentary State Secretary to the Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development. Brussels.Credit: European Commission.

“Germany has become a strong supporter of routine immunisation and health system strengthening in developing countries through its funding of the GAVI Alliance,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of the GAVI Alliance. “In hosting GAVI’s Replenishment’s meeting Germany shows its confidence in the organisation and its strong commitment to global health. We are at a critical moment with the opportunity to immunise 300 million children and increase the number of children receiving all 11 WHO-recommended vaccines from 5% to 50% during the 2016 to 2020 period.”

The date and location of the conference will be announced later this year.

Since 2006 Germany has contributed to increasing immunisation rates and strengthening health systems through the GAVI Alliance. The German government has gradually increased its annual contributions to €30 million a year in 2012 and 2013, bringing its overall commitment since 2006 to €156 million.

Germany also plays an active role in the governance mechanisms of the GAVI Alliance. It is a member of the Audit and Finance Committee and will hold a GAVI Board seat in 2015 - in parallel to its G8 presidency.